While interrogating Asif and Rehman, the Delhi Police learnt that AQIS had established overall six modules in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Delhi, according to The Indian Express report.

Asif told interrogators that one Maulana Asim Umar convinced him to join AQIS sometime in 2012. He revealed that al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri had appointed Umar as the chief of AQIS.

"As the AQIS head, Umar pledged to take the frontiers of Islamic jihad towards the entire South Asian continent including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, with India being the centerpiece of action," Joint Commissioner of Police (special cell) Vivek Gogia told the IE.